A breath of fresh air

Mark Zurolo ’01MFA

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Sterling Memorial Library’s great hall—often called the “nave” for the analogous space in church architecture—is undergoing a thorough restoration over the next year. One of the goals is to clean decades of dirt, grime, and water damage residue from the space’s neo-Gothic stonework. Conservators did a trial run this spring in the front entrance vestibule, cleaning this limestone carving (which depicts one of the eight winds), and the sandstone block beneath it.

Besides cleaning and repairing stone, the project will also include extensive stained-glass restoration, the installation of air conditioning, and a reorganization of library services. It will all be unveiled in September 2014.